Be A River

Have you walked by a pool of stagnant water that stunk? One that had a coat of green on the top? One that you prayed your kids wouldn’t play in because that smell is not going to come out of those clothes? On the same token, have you seen a clear mountain river? One where the water is fresh, crisp, and cool? Where it flows peacefully downstream and becomes a habitat for thriving life of all kinds. Your body’s energy is just like this! When it is stagnant, not flowing, and not moving, it is not appealing. On the other hand, when it does flow, it becomes clear and vibrant. A home for growth and vitality.   

So often we allow ourselves to remain stagnant. Sometimes people will say they’re in a rut. They will say they don’t feel like they know who they are anymore. Or that life is boring, there’s no spark. That they are tired of feeling tired. Same S**t Different Day. Same ol’, same ol’... there’s a million different ways to say the same thing, but it all boils down to their energy being stagnant. This stagnation often leads to feelings of depression, anger issues, short tempers, overreactions, unwarranted complaints, negativity, and an inability to let go.    

When you get stuck in that rut, it becomes very difficult to get yourself to a space of feeling good. You may have a good moment in the day, but it’s hard to have full good days. How do you combat these feelings? How do you move past this and find your peace again? It’s not really a secret, but it is a challenge. You have to first decide you’re ready for your life to look different. Choose to make a different choice that will allow you to come out of that dark and twisty place. Then, you have to choose. Mind-boggling isn’t it!?   

These words are so easier said than done. I know. I’ve been there. It is so easy to say I want something to change, and so hard to actually take the steps necessary to change it. There are a few simple ways you can restore the flow in your energy and your life so that you can get out of your rut. Of course, different things work for different people, but these are easy and accessible to most of us all the time.   

First, put on some music. Music has a flow, a beat, a rhythm. Something that you need when you’re feeling stuck. Preferably this music should be upbeat, “happy” music. No heartbreak ballads or mad-at-your-dad music.   

Then move your body. Go for a walk (from the couch to the fridge don’t count), dance in the living room, play catch with your kiddo, do some yoga, go to the gym, clean the floors... just do something that requires movement in your body. Bonus points if you do it outside in nature. If you can’t be outside for whatever reason, open the blinds and let the natural light in! And while you’re doing that start listing the things you are grateful for.   

Gratitude is one of the quickest ways to change your mood. Focus on the things in your life that are wonderful, amazing, and unique to you. Getting out of that rut is sometimes as simple as remembering all that you are living for instead of sitting in the darkness of how miserable life seems.   

When you’re ready to take it a step further than that, then you do things like have some bodywork done (massage, acupuncture, acupressure, energy healing, etc.). This type of work can help you to release any blocks that exist in your energy field and help restore your flow so that just like the river, you can feel crisp, clear, and vibrant.   

Other options include decluttering your space, cleaning out a closet, detailing your car, emptying your email inbox, finishing that book you started months ago, or planting a new plant in your home and/or yard. Cleaning out and decluttering helps to move the energy inside your home so that there is nothing stagnant there either. It is a way for you to release old attachment and feel fresh. Completing a task also helps raise your vibration and break the mundane feeling of life. Having a truly empty inbox or finishing a book you’ve been “meaning to get to” is a great way to allow yourself to complete a task and check something off your list. You’ll find that it is addicting and once you have started one thing, you’ll move onto something else.   

Sometimes when we talk about decluttering to get out of a rut, I hear people say, “I just don’t even know where to start” or “it's too overwhelming and I don’t finish.” That is certainly not going to help you feel like you’re getting out of a rut! If you immediately felt overwhelmed when you read that, then stick with the music, movement, and gratitude approach. We’ll tackle the feelings of overwhelm in a different discussion.   

I hope you find your peace and that nothing less than love and light enter your space.